Clasping structures of the valva in Tortricinae (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) with the description of a new Euliini genus

Evolutionary trends in the structure of Tortricidae valva are discussed. In some Euliini the distal part of the valva is armed with sclerites whose function is to clasp the female during copulation. This apomorphy is the complication rather than the simplification of a structure. A new genus of Euliini, viz., Hasteulia, and two new species, H. emmeles and H. romnulca, are described from Ecuador. Hasteulia is characterised by dentate sclerites at the terminal portion of the valva disc and by the very slender termination of the gnathos.

Key words: Tortricidae, Euliini, Evolution, Valva, Hasteulia n. gen., Ecuador.